DragonStorm
by HitsugayaFanGirl
Summary: It's the dawn of the Fourth Pass and the majority of Pern's inhabitants are doubting the existence of the small red planet that threatens them all. When Mina of Tillek is found on Search, how will she be able to help her beloved home? May except minor OCs
1. Mina's Inheritance

DragonStorm

A/N- Okay, so I've been wanting to write a non-anime fanfic for a while and this is the first one I came up with. There is sooo much in the Pern Universe left free and untold about! This is roughly set right at the beginning of the Fourth Pass, so they are just leaving an Interval. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer- I do not own anything from the Dragonriders of Pern series, Anne McCaffrey does. I do however own my OC characters.

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Chapter 1- Mina's Inheritance

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With a sigh, I pulled down the dry, white sheets from a string and threw them into a waiting basket. My second task of the day now done, I grabbed the basket and left the open laundry room that was connected to the woman's bathing waters and ran up the dark, steep stairs to the Dining Hall.

"Lady Katone, where would you like the clean bed sheets to go?" I asked as I brought a heavy load of freshly washed sheets from the outside passage into the dining cavern. The woman in question turned around, brushing her dark rose colored tunic with her right hand. She walked briskly over to me and nodded in approval.

"You can place them on the table by the hearth. I'll have a few of the younger girls deal with them later," Katone said as she picked up one sheet and absentmindedly folded it. I gave her a quick nod, glad that she knew that my chores for today were continuous after I had helped her prepare food this morning. Immediately I began to walk to the table on the far end of the room to set the bundle down. I only had a few more minutes to get from the kitchen to the herdbeast stables, all the way on the other side of Tillek Hold. Placing the sheets down neatly and carefully I quickly walked back to Katone.

"Lady Katone, you wouldn't mind if I took the Kitchen exit to get to the Stables, would you?" I asked between breaths. Katone shook her head.

"No dear. And you don't have to be so polite!" Katone scolded me as I shot her a smile.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you!" I said with a short bow and dashed quickly through the Kitchens, catching an audible groan from the older woman as I left. Walking swiftly past a few kitchen workers I worked my way past the smell of today's fish catch and out of the door. Once outside, I moved into a jog and was instantly greeted by a small, blue fire-lizard. He chirruped and flew around me.

"Well hello to you too, Hakubi," I responded to my fire-lizard. He chirped again and images of a vast blue sea and two large boats flooded my mind. I frowned.

"So that's where you were this morning? You had me worried about you when I couldn't find you for breakfast," I scolded the blue. This only provoked him into sending me more images of fish. I rolled my eyes. Looks like I wouldn't have to find him lunch either. With a few flaps of his wings, he slowed into a glide and perched onto my left shoulder.

"So you want to stick with me now that your belly's full?" I asked my little friend. He crooned and rubbed my cheek with his head affectionately. I sighed and continued to lightly job to the far green fields where the Beastholds where. This would be the third tedious chore that I had been assigned today to do by Lord Holder Remus, my Uncle. I quickly glanced at the sky. It had been sunrise when I woke to my new tasks, now, the sun was slowly slipping into the distant large hills. Whatever needed to be done in the Beasthold better not take too long. When I reached the fenced in area, I was met with Tillek's Herd Master, Pichard. His arms were folded across his chest, a firm look on his face telling me that he wasn't pleased.

"It's about time. You have that fire-lizard of yours right? There's been something bothering the runnerbeasts in their stalls at night. Go check it out," Pichard ordered. I couldn't believe it. It wasn't even my help that he wanted, but Hakubi's! Catching onto my building anger, Hakubi began to chirp irritably, his eyes swirling an angry red.

"Yes sir," I said, pushing my anger aside. The faster this was over with, the faster I could get back to the Main Hold and rest. Unescorted, I walked by the stable doors and to the back where the stalls for the runnerbeasts were. Cautiously, I scanned the ground for any movement. With a shrug I stood back up.

"Well Hakubi, your turn. Find out what's bothering the runnerbeasts and get rid of it!" I told Hakubi. With a tweet he unfolded his wings and launched into the air. Seconds after he flew into a far stall and came back slashing and hissing at a tunnelsnake. With a screech, Hakubi dived at it, taking the tunnelsnake into his jaws and ripping at its many limbs. The tunnelsnake went limp and Hakubi dropped it, flying back towards the same stall in the same motion. After a few more minutes, three tunnelsnakes had been dragged out and killed by Hakubi's actions and he returned to my shoulder with a proud chirrup. With a short glance at the tunnelsnake bodies, I headed back to the front of the Beasthold.

"Well, was there anything back there?" Pichard asked gruffly as he led a brown runnerbeast to the front. I gave a motion back with my head.

"Yeah, you had a little family of tunnelsnakes. Next time you need a fire-lizard, find someone else's who has the time to spare," I muttered and continued walking, knowing that I had just angered the Herd Master more. There are plenty of other people in Tillek Hold that owned fire-lizards that could've done this! Already, the sun was behind the mountainous hills, casting a golden-orange hue onto the grassy fields. A thick layer of smoke was rising from the Kitchen vents and the Dining Hall vents, signaling that diner had already started. My pace quickened and Hakubi left my shoulder.

"I'll see if I can sneak you something later Hakubi!" I told my fire-lizard, knowing that he'd possibly be hungry again later. Under my Uncle's orders, fire-lizards were not allowed inside of the Hold, only to be kept somewhere outside because he thought of them as pests, no different than a tunnelsnake. Had it been my brother, the original owner of Hakubi's egg, that had Impressed, I'm sure that the rule would have been lifted. Hakubi gave me a sad croon and winked out _between_. Where he always went to sleep, I had yet to find out. I was near the main Hold door now, a large metal door that was always locked shut at night to keep away intruders, when I saw something large stir to my left. The eyes whirled curiously at me and I waved. The watch-wher, Shinjask, had roused and stood at its large, rocky post chained near the Hold doors. The watch-wher dipped its head in return, weather or not returning my greeting I had no idea. The passageways were crowded as the men from the fishing trips had returned and were hungry for food other than fish. I squeezed behind them, thankful for once for my tiny figure, and walked among the shadowy edge to the Dining Hall.

"Mina! Where have you been?" I heard my name called as I entered. Approaching me with a frown on her face was Lady Cheryll, Lord Remus' wife. I paused for a second before replying.

"I was finishing my chores out in the Beastholds, Lady Cheryll," I answered. Her eyes narrowed and I soon found myself ushered into the Kitchen.

"Our men have just returned from their voyage over the sea's and we need all available cooks here, instead of you wasting your time outside. Now hurry up and help, I have to attend back to the tables!" Lady Cheryll said as she plucked a bowl of uncut greens from a shelf and placed them before me. My stomach clenched as I watched her return to the Dining Hall and sit down. With an irritated shrug, I grabbed a nearby knife and quickly went back to work, joining the kitchen drudges. It was going to be a long night.

An hour or two passed by for me as I sweated away in the Kitchen. Occasionally, my stomach growled, trying to remind me that I myself had yet eaten since midday. Once I caught a pitied glance sent my way from Katone. She knew how my Uncle and Aunt, or rather, the Lord Holders of Tillek, treated me. Having been adopted by them since my father's ship had wrecked when I was of six turns, I was always ordered around and told to be grateful to them for taking me in. I didn't hate them though; they were the only family I had left. So until the day would come and they'd finally acknowledge me, I would continue to obey their orders the best I could.

"Mina…why don't you go and sit down," I heard Katone say after the loud buzz from the Dining Hall had died. I had been in the process of putting away left-over food for the next day and cleaning the area where I was working. I just sent her a smile and continued.

"I'm fine Lady Katone," I said as I wiped down the counter with a rag. There was an irritated sigh, one that I knew all too well as a 'If you say so,' from Katone as she walked away for a moment. A few seconds of silent working went by and I practically jumped when Katone had suddenly returned with a plate of food and a cup of klah. I was about to protest when I was stopped with a stern glare.

"Now you need to eat. There's no reason for you to work yourself to the bone and starve for your Aunt to accept you. Shells, you deserve it too! After you're done, I also want you to clean up. You've let yourself get covered with dirt and stains!" Katone scolded me as she pushed the plate further towards me. I gave her a reluctant smile and proceeded to eat. I may have been adopted by the Lady and Lord of the Hold, but Katone was the one who raised and looked out for me. I thanked Katone as I finished off the plate of meat, some fruit and a piece of bread, and she grunted and quickly shooed me from the Kitchen to get cleaned off. The Bathing rooms were on the far side of Tillek Hold, a multiple cluster of cold-water pools between the hilly areas. If one went further out, they would discover an underwater waterfall that helped to supply fresh water to the pools. It was empty when I got there; the men from the fishing trip most likely already cleaned up right after they got back. Grabbing a spare towel at the entrance, I swiftly made my way a secluded pool and hurriedly undressed, letting my tan tunic fall from my body. After testing the water temperature, I slid in, letting the lukewarm water rinse away the accumulated dust and dirt that had clung onto me. After soaking for a few minutes, I ducked under, wetting my hair, and grabbed a little sweetsand. After rubbing it through my hair, I ducked under once more to wash it out, running my hands through the thick, light brown hair as I did so to keep out tangles. As the soapy feeling faded, I leapt from the pool and wrapped the clean towel around me and dried off. Taking a quick glance around the halls with my tunic folded in my hands, I dashed through the cold, dark halls towards the woman's cubicles until I safely reached mine. It was here, in my cubicle, that I finished drying my hair. I didn't stop until it was completely smooth and dry, falling down to my back. As I began to change into a simple, white night-dress, I overheard a woman's loud voice from the hall.

"Why would someone come this late at night?" the woman asked. A second voice joined the first.

"Whatever it was it must have been urgent," The second woman replied. There were a few more mumbled sounds and then the conversation abruptly stopped. With a sigh, knowing that I'd have to get up early in the next morning, I sat on my bedding and pulled the warm bed furs over me. Whatever the older women were gossiping about faded from my mind as unimportant, and I slowly drifted to sleep.

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A/N- Well? How was it? I know it was just a simple four pages (eight when double-spaced) but…it's actually about the same size as the first chapter in McCaffrey's DragonFlight. Shrugs. Oh well. Reviews will be greatly appreciated and will encourage me to update faster.


	2. Search at Tillek Hold

DragonStorm

A/N- Whoops, sorry you guys, I never gave you a proper introduction. Hi! I'm HitsugayaFanGirl, but you can call me Bianca. I'm surprised that I got some readers already! Thank you!

"Talking."

'_Thinking to dragons.'_

_Dragon speech._

Disclaimer- I do not own Dragon Riders of Pern, or anything from the Pern Universe. All rights go to Anne McCaffrey. I do, however, own my computer that allows me create my characters like Mina. :D

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Chapter 2- Search at Tillek Hold

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A thick, wispy mist coated the lower level of Tillek Hold's grounds as dawn neared. High in the sky above, the three Dawn Sisters twinkled brightly through the darkness. Sinking below the nearby mountains, Pern's second moon lowered as daytime arrived at Tillek Hold. Inside the cavernous hold, a few over-night drudges were running about, uncovering a few glows in various parts of the dark tunnels.

"Mina. Mina wake up," a woman's annoyed voice called as I felt my body being shaken. I groaned, pulling my bed furs closer, snuggling into their warmth. There was an irritated scowl and suddenly my comfort vanished.

"Mina! Get up! You're on morning duty to gather greens!" the voice said seemingly louder this time. With a groan, I rolled onto my back in my sleeping daze and opened my eyes. Wait…morning duty? Instantly I shot up.

"What? Remus told me that my duties for today would only be watching the children followed by Kitchen duty! What made him change this?" I asked. The sudden shift change didn't make any sense! My day had already been scheduled to the fullest! The woman shook her head.

"Lord Remus received some sort of urgent news last night about a visitor and he wanted us to have fresh greens in stock. You'd best obey him," the woman instructed as I stood up.

"Here. You can use these until you get to the Kitchen. You should be fine after that," the woman continued as she motioned to a spare glow basket. I nodded and removed my top sleeping wear, replacing them with a plain tan tunic.

"Thanks Deliah," I told the woman as I grabbed the glow basket and slid a pair of sandals on. Stifling a yawn, I hurriedly walked from my cubicle and into the dark hallways. After going up a flight of dimly lit stairs, the early morning chill began to work its way through my thin tunic and I increased my pace. At the end of the next hallway, I could see the warm light that radiated from the Dining Hall's hearth. The Dining Hall was a fairly sized room, only a little smaller than the Kitchen, and was filled with nine long wooden tables and a main table by the hearth. At the main table, I spotted some deposited glow baskets and left mine there as well. With the heath's fire blazing next to me, the cold was instantly gone and I proceeded to where a pitcher of klah was.

"Mina? What are you doing in here so early?" Katone asked as she stepped through the Kitchen archway. I shrugged as I took a small, clay cup and poured my drink.

"Deliah said that I was to harvest this morning," I replied and took a sip. Katone frowned and retreated into the Kitchen shaking her head. Still soaking in the fires warmth, I downed the rest of my drink as Katone returned.

"Here. By the first shell, I know you're going to be hungry later," Katone said as she handed me a netted sack for collecting food. Inside, however, was a freshly wrapped bread loaf. I smiled.

"Thanks Katone. Is there anything that you would like me to keep an eye out for?" I asked her, greatly appreciating her. Katone raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, if you happen to run across any new fruit, get those. I believe that apples should be ready around now," Katone replied. I nodded and slung the netted sack over my shoulder.

"Will do!" I said, and hurried out of the Dining Hall entrance. The passageway from the Dining Hall and the Hold doors was short, and each side had bright glows lighting the way. So we really are having a visitor later, I thought as I neared the large doors. A small, ray of sunlight streamed from the mouth of the hall as I reached the doors. Beyond them was Tillek's Courtyard and Hold Gates, which kept out any intruders. Breathing in the crisp air, I continued walking toward the large gates, which I immediately saw hadn't been opened yet. To my left, Shinjask yawned and rumbled his greeting to me. I waved back and received a wave in response by the watch-wher's owner, Shinjad. He ran up to my side as he noticed I needed out.

"Shinjask says you're heading out?" Shinjad said as he lifted the heavy, metal bar from the latch. I nodded, taking a curious glance at the dragon-like creature. His eyes whirled a sleepy dark-blue and purple.

"Yes, Lord Remus wants me to gather greens," I told him as he continued un-bolting the door. There was a chirp from above followed by a flash of blue, and I soon found my shoulder occupied.

"Good morning, Hakubi," I told him as he nuzzled my cheek. Shinjad laughed.

"So you still have this little guy, huh? How's your brother taking it?" Shinjad asked with amusement in his eyes. I smirked.

"Half-brother. He's still bitter, but he should've known better than to leave when a fire-lizard egg is close to hatching!" I replied in my own amusement. Shinjad chuckled as he gave the doors a hefty push open.

"You're right on that girl. Now you should probably hurry and get done before our quests arrive," Shinjad instructed me, and I nodded.

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Hours had passed since I had left the Hold. The sack at my side was half full, and the bread given to me had already been eaten. I had strayed to a far field, away from the farms and warm houses, venturing to the less-used fields where food grew wildly. Hopefully, I would find more harvestable greens here. I let my eyes scan the field carefully until I spotted what I was looking for. With a quick slide down a steep bank, I approached a giant tree, loaded with golden-brown fruit.

"Katone will love these," I said to Hakubi as he flew lazily around the tree until perching on a branch. His eyes swirled a bright blue-ish green and he looked up suddenly. With a sudden chirp, he launched himself into the air and blinked out into _between._

"Hakubi?" I called after him, startled at his sudden action. With a frown, I quickly filled up the rest of my bag, which was now getting heavy, and I climbed back up the bank. Tillek Hold flashed across my mind and then in an air of urgency, Hakubi returned, chattering impatiently. I looked at him confused.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I reached up for him. He screeched and flew back in the direction of the Hold, then back to me. Instantly I knew something had to be wrong and I began to jog back to the Hold. Keeping calm, I reached for him again, my mind focused on soothing him, and Hakubi slowly drifted back to my shoulder. His eyes however continued to swirl with excitement and impatience as we neared the outer fields. Tillek Hold was still a way's off when I felt something. It started fuzzy, similar to when Hakubi would send me an image of something he wanted, and then it grew. The feeling began to tingle throughout my entire body, and a pressure as if I was standing under a waterfall surrounded my body. It constantly moved, circling around me, pricking my mind until I could take it no more. Clenching my eyes shut, I shook my head and squatted down, startling Hakubi and sending him to the trees above.

"Stop it!" I yelled. The swirling slowed and lifted a little.

_Who are you, young one?_ I blinked in confusion at the voice that had suddenly appeared in my mind. What?

_Who are you?_ The voice repeated. The feeling in my head swirled faster, impatient like. What was…it couldn't be! A dragon?

_Yes. I am L'ron's brown, Torth._ The voice replied proudly and I gasped. Instantly, I quickened my pace back to Tillek Hold. Above me, I faintly heard Hakubi's wing strokes as he followed. What are dragons doing here?

_'Um…I'm Mina of Tillek Hold!'_ I thought back, answering the dragon's earlier question, uncertain that the dragon would be able to hear me or not.

_I can still hear you; do not worry. Hideth can hear you as well. _The browns voice said, seemingly amused. Hideth?

_Yes?_ I received a different response, no longer feeling the fuzziness in my mind. Who was that?

_I am Hideth, H'tori's bronze, little one. We've come to Tillek Hold on Search. _Hideth replied. I gasped and slipped down a bank as Tillek Hold was close to sight. A Search? Now? Eagerly, although cautiously, I turned the large bend. Did I have a chance of being Searched?

_You already have been. H'tori says that he will meet you by the gates._ Hideth said as I came into the clearing. Perched on the cliffy edges by the ocean was the brown. It was large, twice the size of Tillek Hold's largest ship, and that was with his wings closed. His head lifted as he spotted me, his eyes whirling a dark green and he bugled out a greeting. There was a returned answer from my left and I turned to see that high on the rocky hills was bronze, even bigger than the brown. Hideth's wings unfurled and effortlessly he glided down, a pale light streamed through his translucent wings.

"Girl, you have just become one great find," I heard a voice say from the gate. I turned to see a tall, blond haired man walk up. Following him was another man with sleek black hair.

"L'ron, can you not flirt with every Hold girl you find attractive?" The man with the black hair said as he rolled his eyes. I quickly looked away, surprised and embarrassed at the comment. L'ron just grinned.

"You are Mina?" the other man continued and I nodded.

"Yes sir. And you would be…H'tori, sir?" I responded nervously. This, for some reason, made L'ron smirk.

"I am. So you really can hear our dragons. That's a rare trait, passed only through those of Blood. Tell me, are you the daughter of Remus?" H'tori asked, staring at me inquisitively. I shook my head.

"No, sir. My father was the formal Lord Holder of Tillek." I replied. It was obvious to anyone who ever looked at myself and my Uncle that we weren't closely related, the difference in the color of our hair was proof enough. But, I was of the Tillek Blood.

"Hmm. Well girl, we're here on Search. Merath's clutch is only a month away from Hatching and we need all the female candidates we can get for her queen egg. Your gift and our dragons say that you are indeed a suitable candidate for standing," H'tori said, his eyes still studying me. Horror struck my mind.

"Its not Thread, is it?" I asked, recalling the Teaching Songs that our Harper would drill into us as a child. Thread had not appeared on Pern for the last two hundred years, many people only believed it as a false tale, only existing for Holds to pay tithe to the large Weyrs and their fierce dragons. H'tori looked pleased by my question.

"We're getting all the signs signaling the return of the Red Star's threat, which itself is already drawing closer. You are clever to still believe in the teachings. We will bring you with us," H'tori said with a nod, seeming to finally approve of me. I looked over at Tillek Hold worriedly.

"But my Uncle…" I began, knowing all too well that Remus would not be pleased. H'tori's mahogany eyes steeled over.

"Do not worry about that, you have just gained a higher rank than that man. L'ron, I want you to accompany Mina while she packs any of her belongings while I talk with Remus. When she's done, we're heading back," H'tori said, turning his attention to the brown rider who nodded in return. With that, H'tori headed back to the main gates.

"Well miss, shall we go?" L'ron said, holding out his arm with a grin. I looked at him uneasily.

_Don't worry. He's always like that._ Torth said with a laughing rumble. I gave him a small smile and took his riders hands.

"Okay, it's this way," I said as I headed towards the Kitchen entrance. Inside, the cooks and drudges were running around frantically. Immediately we ran into Katone whose face went from shock to joy as I quickly told her what had happened. She nodded and told us to hurry because as I feared, Lord Remus wouldn't be happy. Giving her a quick hug, and a thank you, I rushed from the Kitchen. As we reached my cubicle, with L'ron standing guard outside, I packed all of my valuable things (which were few) into a sheet and tied up the ends. Reaching under my bed sheets, I grabbed my mothers silver band with a bright blue engraved stone and put it around my left wrist.

"I'm done," I said after I had swung the small make-shift sack over my shoulder and left my room. L'ron nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me back up to the main level. His urgency was clear. There was trouble.

_Remus is angry. He does not want you to leave. _Torth informed as we rushed up the stairs. This was something that I wasn't surprised at, but why he was angry I did not know.

_He has told H'tori that he'd planned on marrying you away soon to further his payments from the smaller, lesser, holds. Being of Blood would increase the payment. _Hideth growled, reflecting his riders anger in his voice. He was going to give me away? A girl of Blood? To whom? Anger swelled in my chest as I reached the Dining Hall. Tillek by all means was _my_ hold! _My _home! He had no right to send me away! There was a thundering roar from outside that echoed off of the Hold's walls. Did family mean nothing to that man? My hand clenched tighter to L'ron's, and he looked down. I will go with these dragonmen, and I will stand on the Hatching Grounds!

"I _will_ Impress a dragon!" I growled and my words were followed by two more roars. L'ron's eyes widened slightly at my sudden change of attitude, and then he smiled.

"Finally reach your conclusion?" L'ron asked and I nodded. If I would never achieve my true birthright, then I would aim for something higher. Torth was ready outside, bent down with one leg out to climb on. There was a screech and Hakubi dove down towards me, sensing my anger. L'ron ducked, clearly not knowing why he was being attacked.

"Hakubi! Calm down you silly lizard! He's a friend!" I told him. He instantly stopped attacking, however, he continued to look agitated and glared at L'ron.

"Ha! You have a fire-lizard? And trained too! No wonder the Lord Holder is bitter to see you go! You have more real power than he does!" L'ron laughed as he finished putting his riding straps on and helped me into a spare set. He moved quickly though, he knew that there was trouble within the Hold walls and he wanted to avoid it. Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around my waist as I was hoisted onto Torth's front leg.

"Lift yourself up and slide over onto his back and grab his second ridge," L'ron instructed as I looked up nervously. Even bending down, Torth was still huge and the ground would be a long fall.

_I won't let you fall._ Torth told me as I grabbed hold of one of the straps around his large, dark brown neck with one hand and pulled forward, grabbing his second ridge for support. I soon found myself seated between the second and third ridge and L'ron already in front of me.

"For someone who hasn't had any practice you're pretty good. Most people slide off on their first try, even Candidates," L'ron said as he looked back with a smirk.

_Including him._ Torth added, making me laugh. L'ron's face went blank at the unheard statement and I gave him a smile, the heavy feeling of anger and loss lifted.

_H'tori says to go on ahead. _Hideth said, turning his head towards us, and suddenly Torth stood, the ground shrinking below us. With a yelp, I quickly grabbed L'ron's waist, fighting off a blush at his laughter and close contact.

"That, however, always happens. Now hold on," L'ron said lightly as Torth's wings unfolded and lifted into the sky. With one mighty sweep and a kick off from his powerful legs, Torth was airborne and I held on even tighter. There were a few minutes as I kept my eyes closed and listened to each wing stroke until I heard Torth speak.

_Do not be afraid, L'ron tells you to look down._ Torth said and I slowly opened my eyes. The sight was amazing and completely beautiful. Tillek Hold. My home. Spread out far below us in green fields, sandy white beaches and a sparkling blue-green ocean. I gasped.

"It's so beautiful from up here," I said and felt L'ron nod. A worried sensation filled my mind and I looked around.

"How's Hakubi going to follow?" I asked.

_I will give him the image, your friend will meet us there._ Torth said and suddenly L'ron tapped my arm.

"We're going to go in _between_ now. It'll only take a few seconds but hold your breath. It'll be dark and cold, and you won't be able to feel or hear anything, but we'll still be here. Just count to three slowly. Torth will give you a few seconds warning," L'ron said, and I nodded anxiously.

_Here we go._ Torth said and I quickly held my breath. Everything around me turned ice cold and went pitch-black. It was absolutely silent, the lack of noise terrifying. Immediately, I began to count, trying to block out the impossible nothingness. Right before I got to 'three' everything returned and the scenery below was new.

"Welcome, to High Reaches Weyr!"

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A/N- Well, how was chapter 2? I feel like I'm rushing things too much but…at the same time I'm not. Also, please continue to inform me if I use terms like 'year' instead of 'turn,' or any other Pernese phrase/term wrong. Remember! All Reviews are welcomed! Except Flamers, which will be handed to Torth for fire-stone practice.

I would like to thank- _solindiges, _and _GinnyStar_ for Reviewing!

QUESTION! Should Mina Impress a Gold, Green, or other? (I can't decide, so I want to know my readers opinion!) I know that this is early too, but I'll keep this up for discussion until the Hatching Chapter arrives.


	3. High Reaches Weyr

DragonStorm

A/N- Sorry for the disappearance everyone, life was a little hectic for a while so I wasn't able to put this out as early as I wanted to. Please enjoy~

"Talking."

'_Thinking to dragons.'_

_Dragon speech._

Disclaimer- I do not own Dragon Riders of Pern, or anything from the Pern Universe. All rights go to Anne McCaffrey.

* * *

Chapter 3- High Reaches Weyr

* * *

The sight below them was amazing as Torth simply hovered in the air, only bringing his wings down to stay in place. High Reaches Weyr was nestled comfortably in between the large, ice-tipped mountains. A windy river ran through half of the land, which was wide and spacious at the foot of the mountain, and the river split into multiple streams before coming back together again at a large lake. At the base of the Weyr were many cottage holds, and barns standing in the shadow of the large, dormant volcano. Many dragon weyrs were visible not just on the main Weyr, but in the surrounding mountains as well. Instantly I wished that I had worn something warmer as a cold breeze blew in. A dragon below bulged his greeting and Torth returned his own.

_We're to land now. L'ron says that he'll show you around the main halls._ Torth told me as we slowly began to drift downwards in a spiral. With a few powerful strokes, Torth put his back legs down first then touched down completely. There was a click of metal as L'ron undid his straps and leapt onto Torth's foreleg. With my hands shaking slightly from the sudden experience, I did the same, and wobbled down.

_I wish to swim. _Torth said, more likely directed to L'ron than it was to me. L'ron nodded, confirming my beliefs and Torth took back up into the air.

"Well now, right this way miss," L'ron said as he walked briskly up to the large Weyr doors. Inside the Weyr was even bigger than it looked on the outside. I gaped.

"And down this way is the Dining Hall, and further, the Kitchens. Our Records room is close to the Weyrleader's weyrs and the Harper's room. Down these steps…" L'ron said as he pointed down certain hallways and stairways. He continued to point out places like the Bathing Caverns, including some private hot-watered pools, the Storage Rooms, and more as he led me back to the Council Room.

"And here we are!" L'ron said with a smile as he opened the doors. Gathered around inside was a small group of girls, and boys around my age. A lady that stood in the front looked up suddenly from her speech.

"Now who is this L'ron?" The woman said in a kind, yet curious tone. L'ron continued to smile.

"A new Candidate, brought straight from Tillek Hold!" he replied happily. I saw the woman's face lighten and she nodded.

"Alright then, I'll take care of her now," The woman said and with a wave, L'ron left. Suddenly, I felt all eyes on me as the lady approached me.

"Welcome to High Reaches Weyr. I'm Headwoman Jasmine." The lady, or Jasmine, introduced. Ignoring the stares from the others I turned my attention to her.

"I'm Mina, Headwoman," I said with a respected nod. There were a few chuckles from the group and Jasmine shook her head.

"No need for titles right now. Please go stand by the other girls," Jasmine said as she walked back to the front. I hurriedly did so, and found myself on the receiving end of a glare. A girl with red curly hair but bright blue eyes stared coldly at me before turning away. What's with her?

"Now, tomorrow will be the first day that the Candidates will be allowed on the Sands to view the eggs. Be warned however, as it is Merath's last clutch. You will also get your scheduled duties and your assigned rider, who will teach you the basics of riding and caring for your dragon. I want you all to stay behaved in front of your riders as well. Any problems with you reported from them to me can have you sent back to your home or held from Standing. Now, I want all of you to report to the Dining Hall to help prepare for dinner," Jasmine said, and dismissed us. Awkwardly, I stood up and moved, almost running into the redhead.

"Watch it," The girl hissed, and this hiss was also echoed by a small, golden figure on her shoulder. My eyes widened. She had a queen fire-lizard! At this thought, there was a familiar chirp from above as Hakubi appeared in from _between_. He circled the room, causing many Candidates to stop and watch, until he found my arm. The redhead smirked.

"Oh? You have a blue? Why don't I introduce myself? I am Tierra and my _queen_ here is Rhythm," Tierra said, as her golden queen fanned her wings out. At this point, another girl with dark brown hair stepped up.

"Tierra, why don't you stop hounding the new people," the girl said. Tierra laughed.

"I will do as I please," Tierra said as she walked past them and out the doorway. I stared after her in bewilderment. The girl beside me sighed.

"Sorry for that. Tierra is always like that with newcomers, especially other girls," the girl explained. I looked at her.

"Why?" I asked as I petted Hakubi, who had started to croon.

"Competition. She believes that the queen egg belongs only to her. I'm Crys, by the way!" Crys said as she smiled.

"Mina. And my blue is Hakubi," I said, returning the smile. Crys motioned toward the door with her head.

"C'mon, let's catch up with the others and have a proper introduction before we get in trouble for lagging," she said, and I nodded in agreement.

* * *

If I ever thought that the Dining Hall and the Kitchen back at Tillek was big, then I don't even know how to describe High Reaches. What threw me off with the size of the Dining Hall is that they collapsed the wall between the Hall and another room, and merged it together with wide, over-hanging arches, making it larger. Long tables, counting more than thirty, filled these rooms, and there was even a second hearth that was shared with the Kitchen. High Reaches Kitchen was the size of Tillek's Dining Hall and Kitchen combined. And it had to be; the amount of weyrfolk was enormous. After sitting for a while and introducing myself to others whose names I forgot instantly, the Kitchen Head, Iris, put us to work on the dishes and serving food. With a platter full of thinly sliced meat, I made my way to a long table that had run out.

"Mina! It seems that you've put to work already," L'ron's familiar voice greeted me as I sat the platter down. He grinned and I noticed a few smirks on some men at the table. One rider, not only a few turns older than I, turned his attention on me. His skin was unusually tan, and he had sandy blonde hair and equally usual lavender eyes to match.

"L'ron says that you can hear any dragon. Is this true?" he asked, a devious smile on his face. I nodded and L'ron's face went rigid as he sent a glare toward the younger rider.

"I told you not to say anything!" L'ron growled. The blonde shrugged and looked back over at me.

"Okay then…see if you can get my dragon to tell you my name," the blonde said, and I stared at him. How in the world was I supposed to do that? Through Torth maybe?

_Yes? _I heard Torth's immediate reply and sighed mentally.

'_I need to find this man's dragon, and then I need to know his name,'_ I thought back at him. There was a momentary pause, and then a new, lighter voice joined.

_I am Namuth. Is there anything wrong?_ Namuth said, curiosity in his speech. As he said this, I saw the blonde riders eyes widen.

'_Um, your rider wants you to tell me his name,'_ I told Namuth, who seemed annoyed at this request. At this, the blonde stood.

"Alright! Alright! I got it! The names M'rik, rider of brown Namuth!" the blonde said with a smile and outstretched hand. Hesitantly, I took it.

"See, what'd I tell you?" L'ron said with a wink. My face flushed again and I released M'rik's hand. With the excuse that I had to return to work, I left the table in a rush, my only wish for Dinner Service to end. After joining the Candidates in cleaning the dishes, we were sat at an empty table in the almost empty Hall. We ate quietly until one boy spoke up.

"So I saw you over at the Wingleader and Wingsecond table! What were you talking about?" the boy, Armond, asked. Heads swiveled over to me.

"Um, I was just thanking L'ron; he's the one who brought me here," I replied instantly, before anything started. There was a sniff and Tierra turned her icy glare onto me.

"Really? I heard that some riders are saying that you can actually hear other dragons," Tierra piped up. A few people muttered and looked back at me in wonder. I shrugged.

"Well, I can," I said. Tierra let out a harsh laugh.

"Right. And I'm Weyrwoman," Tierra said with a scoff as she stood to leave, a few girls joining her. My eyes lowered as I rubbed my bag absentmindedly. Maybe having others know about my gift wasn't a good thing.

'_Torth?'_ I called out. There were a few minutes before I received a sleepy response.

'_Can you tell all of the others who know about my…gift to not say anything?' _I asked and he agreed without asking for my reason. I thanked him and went back to my food with disinterest. After everyone was done, Crys motioned for me to grab my bag and I followed her up some stairs with the other girls.

"This is the Candidate quarters. You can take this one," Crys said as she led me to an empty room.

"Thank you," I told her and placed my bag down inside to unpack. A few women walked into the Candidacy Rooms and began to cover up the glows as I finished laying out my stuff. One of them entered my room, presenting me with a new tunic to wear during my stay and proper bedding sheets. I thanked her as I fixed my new bed and changed into my sleeping wear. A chorus of "good night" repeated through some of the rooms, and I suddenly felt a little lost and alone in my new home. There was a soft croon as Hakubi rubbed my cheek, reminding me that that wasn't completely true, and with a yawn, I slipped under my covers and focused on resting for the next day.

* * *

"Mina, c'mon! We're going to be late!" I heard a vaguely familiar voice call to me as a soft ray of light streamed into my room. Groggily, I leaned up and looked around my room, my eyes sweeping over the sleeping form of Hakubi on the edge of my bed, the small, wooden dresser that I had placed my belongings in, and a chair. Crys rushed into the room, urging me to get up.

"Crys? What's wrong?" I asked her as I wiped my eyes. She pulled out my new tunic and threw it at me.

"We're going to be late for our teachings! Candidate Master D'mark will scold us for sure!" Crys said as she continued rushing around. I shot up from my bed.

"How come nobody woke us?" I said as I, too, began to move around frantically. Crys sent me a concerned look and I noticed that she was already ready.

"I'm not sure, come on!" Crys said as I finished dressing and ran outside my cubicle. I followed Crys through the giant labyrinth of the Weyr, making sure to memorize the paths for other days. We quickly caught up to a line of other Candidates as we neared the middle of the Weyr. A large, booming voice caught my attention.

"Now, I'll be taking you all out onto the Sands soon to interact with the eggs. Be careful though, even if Lady Sharona has passed away, Merath still stands protectively before her last clutch, so don't fool around and agitate her. All of the female Candidate's will get there opportunity to touch the queen egg and the greens, while the boys get their time with the others. Alright, let's head out," Candidate Master D'mark said as he led the group towards a bright opening. From it, I could already feel an immense heat from what had to be the Hatching Sands. Shading my eyes from the momentarily brightness of the hot, white sands, I stepped out. There was a low rumble at our arrival, a warning, and I looked up to see a great, golden Queen sitting still by a cluster of eggs that stood up to my waist. Her eyes were dull, barely paying attention to the newcomers among the sands. I stared at her in wonder as I gave her a slight bow in her respect, before I let my eyes travel to the eggs. They varied in size depending on the speckled colors that showed lightly on their surface, the eggs with a light-greenish color being the smallest, while secluded by themselves on the sands, and a pure gold egg being the largest. Already, D'mark was giving out the instructions and pointing out to the boys which eggs were which.

"Alright now, I want each girl here to go up to the green eggs and then the gold egg. All you're to do is just touch it gently, and move on. We believe that introducing the Candidate to the hatchling before it hatches increases the chance's of Impressing," D'mark told us, and let us start. I approached the closest egg, its base covered in dark green splotches. Three greenish eggs later, I noticed that Tierra had already moved on to the gold. I sighed, and returned my attention back to the greens, repeating my motions of placing my palm on the smooth surface and keeping my emotions happy, finally ending when I reached the large, gold egg. Unlike the other eggs in the clutch, the gold was a solid color, shining brilliantly among the hot sands. I touched the surface gently, running my fingertips along its hardening surface. By now, my feet burned irritably, unused to the powerful heat that emitted from the white sands and I backed away, wishing the little queen good luck for when she hatched.

"Poor Merath, both her and Lady Sharona would have been proud of this clutch," I heard the Candidate Master say to another man as I walked toward the group of people that had finished. The other guy nodded.

"Indeed. After the hatching of these, we will have a total of nineteen new weyrlings to meet the Thread with," The other man replied, making D'mark laugh.

"And all of them are yours to train, V'tor," D'mark said through his chuckle. The blonde, V'tor, sighed.

"Sometimes I think that you got the easier job, brother," V'tor said before walking off. D'mark's face turned serious again as he turned his attention to us.

"That man is our Weyrling Master. Meaning, to those lucky to Impress, that he will be the one training you how to provide proper care for your dragon," D'mark told us, his sudden change in mood startling me. He went on and called the rest of the Candidate's together as he walked out of the Hatching Grounds and onto an outside ledge.

"What you have done here today will be repeated every day within the next three sevendays when the dragonlings are expected to hatch. Also within that time, you will be given a schedule of chores and teachings that you are to go by. Beginning now, a rider has been assigned to you, and through their guidance they will show you the basics," D'mark said, and in that instant, multiple dragons, varying between greens and a few bronzes, arrived before them from _between _and glided down to the grassy plain below with their riders. D'mark nodded. I gasped at the sight, never having seen this many at once. Sensing my sudden excitement, Hakubi appeared above me with a chirp and instantly hid himself by my neck as he spotted the large dragons. I patted his head, calming him slightly.

"Now, let's see who'll take who. Come on now, after you have been picked and acquainted you still have your chores to do," D'mark said, making his way down some rocky stairs. I soon discovered, that even though I was told that green dragons were the smallest, things change when you stand next to one. D'mark had instructed us to stay by the green while he sorted things outs with their respected riders. Once standing among the same ground as the winged giants, Hakubi launched himself into the air, flying around curiously before I lost track of him. Finding myself at the back of the nervous group, I took notice of the soft, yet beautiful shade of the green next to us. She dipped her head, turning to face me for a moment with her eyes swirling with pride.

_Thank you. _I heard a smug reply before I smiled and turned my attention to the other dragons, still feeling overwhelmed at their size as I tried to find Hakubi. Soon, however, I spotted a brown curled up, not giving any attention to what was happening with a familiar dot of blue resting on his head.

"Alright! We are done, Candidates, you are to wait until you are called," Master D'mark said as he headed back into the Weyr. Now was my chance.

"Hakubi! Come here you impolite lizard!" I whispered as I neared the resting bronze. Hakubi yawned, but moved no further and I frowned.

"Sorry about him," I apologized to the brown, not knowing if I was allowed to move closer to just grab the fire-lizard. There was a rumbled sigh from the brown.

_I do not mind…this little one gives me no trouble. _A deep reply reached me. I smiled before looking up as a man with brown hair approached. He looked like he had been sleeping as well and I soon realized that he was this dragon's rider.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I was just trying to get Hakubi to return," I told him, slightly embarrassed and also not wanting to get in trouble. He just shook his head.

"There is no harm." He told me after a moment of uneasy silence.

_What is your name girl? _I heard the brown ask me as he opened one eye.

_'I…am Mina of Tillek,' _I replied and saw the man nod.

"Alright. Mina. Karisuth and I have agreed. You're to meet us in our weyr tomorrow morning to begin your lessons," the man said with a lazy sigh. Surprised about his sudden decision, all I could do was nod.

"Yes sir," I said, and he tilted his head, an annoyed look on his face.

"The name is H'ral, don't call me 'sir' when you could have enough potential to Impress the young Queen," H'ral mumbled, his annoyance fading. I nodded again, feeling embarrassed that I had somehow offended him. Karisuth leaned up, letting Hakubi glide over to me.

_It is too serious for him, do not be upset. _Karisuth told me, and as I looked at H'ral I realized that despite the large brown beside him, he couldn't be older than me by eight turns.

"Alright, you are free to attend the rest of your chores. Good luck, Mina," H'ral said as he climbed onto Karisuth's outstretched leg and onto his back.

"Ah, yes…H'ral." I replied as I stepped back while the brown stood and opened his wings, taking off in a simple, yet powerful downward push.

"Mina!" Crys called as she ran over, leaving the side of a blue rider. I walked towards her, noticing that other dragons were taking off as well.

"A brown rider chose you?" Crys asked as she watched Karisuth take off into the sky. I nodded, a still a bit stunned at the sudden decision. Cyrs just shook her head and pushed back a strand of mahogany hair.

"You'll have a lot more to work with then," she told me as she waved at a passing green. I groaned as I realized the truth of her words. That lazy dragonrider! I sighed as I heard multiple, low rumblings of laughter from some nearby dragons. Suddenly Crys grabbed my hand and motioned back towards the Weyr.

"C'mon! We are to join the others in the Kitchen!" the older girl suggested, and I nodded, following her lead through the corridors and into the large Kitchen where a bunch of other candidates had gathered. Standing before the group was a rather short, middle aged woman with long hair, dark hair tied in a braid. She spotted us with and motioned for us to hurry.

"Come now, there is no time to dawdle. For those who do not know, I am Iris, Kitchen Head of this Weyr. Up until the Hatching you will be expected to do your share of chores. You will be rotated in between your teachings with the tasks such as stocking, cleaning, and cooking," Iris paused momentarily as a few people groaned, and they were instantly silenced by her sharp gaze.

"As I was saying, you will be doing these chores as you stay here. A meager price to pay for the chance to Impress a dragon," she told us as she took an apron that had been hanging on the side of the Kitchen walls and tied it around her body.

"Now, let's see which of you have any cooking talent."

* * *

A/N- Well, I've officially began a separate file just so I can keep up with who's who, even for characters that haven't appeared yet. XD Also, I know I asked a question in my last chapter, but seeing as I have chapter four done as well, I would like to know now since I can't find information on it with the books I have. The question is, should I have a Gather before or during the Hatching? Or is that not possible? Again, I'm thankful for all of your help and for reading!

I would like to thank: _siltrana, DawnRain, Starsinger, redbricks, and T'Seven _for reviewing! I appreciated it a lot!

Until next time!


	4. Candidate Chores

DragonStorm

A/N- Okay, sorry it took so long guys, without delay, here is the next chapter.

Responding to _Apprentice Harper Kendra- _As far as I know, all of the ones I have used have ended in '-th' but if you saw a name that didn't, please let me know where.

"Talking."

'_Thinking to dragons.'_

_Dragon speech._

Disclaimer- I do not own Dragon Riders of Pern, or anything from the Pern Universe. All rights go to Anne McCaffrey.

* * *

Chapter 4- Candidate Chores

* * *

A few days have passed since my arrival at High Reaches, and everyone has been kept busy. I woke up early, before the sun even rose on most days, and quickly fell into a routine. Dressing quickly into a pair of tan pants and a dark green shirt that I had been given, I rushed from my cubicle up to the Kitchen with Hakubi at my side.

"Good morning," I greeted the morning cook as I fixed a plate of sweet rolls and some spiced meat in the pre-dawn and glow-lit light. The cook nodded.

"Morning, I've already got you a pitcher of warm klah right here," She said as she pointed at the corner.

"Thank you…erm…" I began, as I attempted to balance them both, getting a worried chirp from Hakubi as he hovered above me.

"It's Reya, I've seen you rush in here for the past few days. What's got you up so early?" Reya asked, and I gave her a nervous smile as I finally balanced the two objects.

"Just…being nice to my assigned dragonrider, he normally sleeps in at this time and misses breakfast," I told her and watched as she frowned before realization lit her eyes.

"Oh, you're H'ral's trainee? He is a good rider, but he should've picked a boy to train. I could've used you with my Shisuth," Reya told me as she wiped down a counter. I just smiled and gave her a nod, seeing as my hands were busy.

"Ah, thank you, but I definitely have my hands full at the moment," I said as I headed towards the upward stairs. Reya nodded and waved me off and I began the tedious trek up and across the Weyr. By the time I had reached H'ral and Karisuth's weyr the sun had peaked over the mountains, adding more light and warming up the empty halls of the cold Weyr. Being a brown dragon, the weyr that belonged to Karisuth was large, a layer of rock dividing the areas to where Karisuth slept, and to where H'ral slept.

'Good morning Karisuth,' I greeted the great dragon as Hakubi flew towards him. I discovered on my first time visiting their weyr that H'ral was a deep sleeper, and because of that, I ended up waiting more than an hour until he woke. There was a tingle against my conscious and it fluttered a few times before Karisuth's eyes opened.

_Welcome Mina, _Karisuth returned my greeting, stretching his front legs a bit with a large yawn. With a small smile, I set the platter of food down on an empty table.

"You're here early…what's going on?" A sleepy voice called from the hallway, and I bowed.

"Sorry H'ral, we have early lessons today and I'm afraid that I won't have much time to help you," I told him, surprised a bit to see him up at this time as I scratched Karisuth's eye ridge, a contented thrum filling the room. H'ral nodded.

"Alright then, you may go ahead and get to them. Lessons are more important and I have taken care of Karisuth for years without having your help," H'ral said as he turned his attention to the food.

_But he is sure lazy about it._ Karisuth chuckled, making me wonder once again how this man ended up with such a large brown. Giving him another bow of respect and muttering my thanks, I left the room, Hakubi flying after me and taking his place on my shoulder. Each visit with those two normally resulted in something different. In mornings I would bring food, and then he would either have me help clean Karisuth's weyr, or oil the large dragon, both of which H'ral said would be good practice for me in the future. I mostly began to think he really is the 'lazy rider' that people referred to him as. However, he did stay to his word, and as I would help, he would teach me about dragons and how to properly care for them. All in all, he was actually training me. After taking a few staircases down, I found myself on the ground floor where the Records and Craft rooms were, and a little farther out, the Candidates study and Hatching Sands lower entrance.

"Alright Hakubi, I'll see you when we're done," I said softly as I stroked his head. Crooning, he leapt into the air and winked in _between_. Already there were other Candidates inside the circular study, some waiting patiently, others half-asleep at the counters before them. Taking a seat at a far bend of the room, I, too, joined the waiting crowd. The room filled as time went by and as the sunlight streamed strongly through the multiple round windows of the room; D'mark walked in and our teachings began. Starting from the basics of what the Weyr was and every room to it, up to each Craft and Master. This was how my mornings went. Always followed by more chores assigned daily by the Candidate Master, a brief lunch, and more work until night fell and dinner arrived. Life at the Weyr was much more demanding and another sevenday of my time here was taken.

"…and that is the full cycle of firestone and its importance to our dragons." D'mark's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. We had just gotten into information about dragons, and the majority wouldn't even be discussed by the Candidate Master, but by the Weyrling Master when we had Impressed. Silently, I groaned and felt Hakubi rub his head against my cheek. A small, personal chalkboard lay before me, with old scribbles of important information that D'mark had informed us to write about and keep.

"Now, for today's chores. I want Group A to assist in the Kitchen. Group B, your tasks are to clean up the Storage rooms. Group C, you have the bathing pools to tend to," D'mark said and dismissed the room over the series of groans. Hakubi let out a croon before crawling onto my shoulder as I stood.

"Looks like we get to see the Storage rooms today." I muttered to him, storing my slate with the other Candidates. The Storage rooms where located a level below the Kitchen, the room having been carved out very close to the cold underground rivers that kept the food fresh. Following my fellow group, one in front carrying some glows, we headed down into the cool caverns.

"It's about time you young ones showed up," I heard the familiar voice of Headwoman Jasmine say as we turned a corner. We paused, the hallway becoming crowded with other Candidates. I watched as the sandy-haired woman studied us before nodding.

"Well, lets get you to work, we're to expect some more Candidates from Search soon, and not much longer families and nobles to attend the Hatching," Jasmine informed as she opened the doors to a large, secondary storage room. She quickly went over what she wanted and needed to be done, and assigned even further chores, such as moving heavy stuff, to the boys. Upon further inspection of the room, I could tell that it hadn't been used often. A thick layer of dust covered the tops of shelves and tables that were kept in the back of the room and the crates of fruits and tubers had to be looked through and properly stored to see how much longer they were edible. And some scrolls and other equipment had started to fade.

"Sometimes I think that they leave the rooms like this just to toughen us up," I heard Crys say as she noticed the look on my face. Quickly, I gave her a smile.

"Most likely," I said as I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and grabbed a wet cloth, with Crys following suit. Others around us also began to single out things. The food containers were taken out, emptied, and cleaned while others inspected the food for ripeness, separating them into piles of what had to be eaten today or frozen for later, and what could wait longer. The floor was then swept and cleaned where that one box was and that area was done. As a few boys moved to lift another box, a shriek filled the room as a single crawler scurried out from under it, causing Hakubi to dart from my shoulder after it followed by a dart of gold.

"Tierra isn't too pleased about this…" I heard Crys mutter as we both turned to the person who had screamed. Over my time here, it was clear that Tierra wasn't a person to easily bow down to working and doing chores, preferring to subject others to do her will so she could get out easily.

"Ugh! What in the world do they think they're doing having us clean this filthy place! This is work for drudges and not a queen rider!" Tierra exclaimed after her few minutes of cleaning as she threw her cloth down and sat on a box. There were a few mumbles of agreement from some of Tierra's girls. Crys shook her head and moved to another shelf as I rolled my eyes and sighed, returning to the constant scrubbing that it took to clean the grimy floor. The next thing I knew was hearing a sickly chuckle above me before the clattering sound of broken glass as a jar fell to the floor next to me. Where I had just finished clearing out now was flooded with a thick, yellow liquid and shards of broken glass.

"Oh dear! Looks like you missed a spot. You better get to work now, Jasmine said that these leather-hides must be moved upstairs for the older riders. Shells, with all this work, you'll never get done," Tierra said mockingly as she pointed to a bundle of hides and furs next to her. I was quite aware that Tierra didn't like me, this not being the first incident like this, but now I had had enough.

"From what I heard, Tierra, you were supposed to bring those up because you skipped your morning duties," I said with a scoff, and stood. Tierra's eyes were cold and steely as I met them.

"Really? Well I don't recall that. Maybe you remember it better because you're so used to receiving a consequence from all your hold working. You'd take any orders, wouldn't you orphan?" Tierra said with a smirk. My eyes widened and I barely heard Hakubi's hissing from a ceiling perch.

"What did you-?" I started. Tierra laughed.

"Oh yes, I found out the truth little 'orphan.' Both of your parents died and you were placed under your Uncle's service. Tell me, was it fun being of Blood and then dropped into nothing?" Tierra said with another laugh and turned back to her friends. Rage filling my chest, I adverted my eyes from the spoiled girl, knowing that she had provoked me purposely and was waiting for some violent retaliation. If Candidates fought, or caused any trouble, they could be easily sent back to where they had come from. Angrily, I grabbed a nearby mop, sweeping up the slim and plopping it into a bucket of clouded water, making enough noise to get their attention before I picked up the bundle.

"I may be orphaned, but at least I'm not a spoiled brat and think that everything's below me and not worth my effort. The main thing about having a dragon and being part of the Weyr is teamwork, even a queen rider knows that as it is her job to look after everyone in the Weyr while treating them equally. This is something you certainly lack," I said, shooting her a glare. She scoffed, her face red as she motioned for her group of girls to leave but stopped still as she looked in the doorway. I followed her gaze, curious to see what had so efficiently stopped her. Standing with his arms crossed was a dragonrider, by the looks from the previous hatching as my mentor, H'ral, with black hair that fell neatly across his face and neck and piercing burgundy eyes. He continued to stare silently at Tierra, who frowned.

"What's your problem?" Tierra growled at the guy, causing his eyes to narrow as she marched out with her groupies.

_Ungrateful child._ A voice tinged with scarlet rumbled.

'_That's how she always is_,' I replied back unconsciously with a sigh. There was a ripple of surprise and I suddenly found the dragonrider's focus on me, his eyes changing from anger to a look of curiosity. Oh great.

"Tygath says you just spoke to him?" the rider said, not so much as a question as much as it was a statement. Panicking, I put the bundle down and rushed to the doorway so no one else would hear.

"Please do not mention this in front of the other Candidates, I already have enough attention as it is," I told him hurriedly. He gave me a stunned look before pulling me out into the hall, his simple brown tunic with High Reaches blue shifting with his steps. Once we were clear, I noticed his shoulders shaking.

"Are you…okay?" I asked. I was soon startled when he chuckled and gave me a simple nod.

"You're quite a fierce girl," He said amusement still evident in his eyes. Blushing, I bit my lip and looked down, recalling his ranking.

"U-uh, no, not really, I am sorry if I bothered you sir," I said, studying my feet. He chuckled again and I looked up.

"I'm S'ban, Tygath's rider," The rider, S'ban, introduced himself with a bow. Remembering Weyr etiquette, I gave him a polite nod.

"Mina of Tillek," I replied. He straightened and looked back down the hall to where Tierra disappeared.

"So, what is her problem? I was sent by Jasmine to see if you guys were still doing your chores and working together properly. Seems like I arrived a little late," S'ban said, suddenly turning serious. I shook my head, and knowing that my secret was now safe, I began to walk back to the room.

"That is how she is with most of us except for the other girls that left with her. I just refused to bow down to her and do her work this time," I told him. He frowned, following me.

"Yes, Jasmine told me that a few of the Candidates haven't been to keen on their duties. If she causes anymore trouble, and it's not just with you it's with the other Candidates and weyrfolk, I'm to arrange her a flight back to Nabol without her Standing," S'ban sighed. My eyes widened.

"She doesn't deserve that! Yeah, she may be a brat but she's still a possible Candidate! She just needs to learn to work together with others more!" I whispered to him, earning a smirk in return.

"You will make a queen rider faster than she ever will, but, alright. I just hope she learns to get along soon. Nobody in this Weyr is going to appreciate her running around claiming a rank that doesn't count yet," S'ban mused with a dip of his head, and he took up the steps, leaving me speechless.

An hour later, the secondary Storage room had been cleaned spotless and properly organized. Having our freedom, Group B separated and headed towards the Kitchen. I greeted the warmth of the large room happily after spending so much time in the cooler underground levels. The fresh smell of bread and roasted meats filled the room, and I took a seat at the Candidates table, filling my plate. After eating to my content and enjoying some of the others converse, I escaped the room, Hakubi at my heels, and headed towards my Candidate cubicle to grab my night tunic and then down to the Bathing rooms. The sounds of others filled the women's side, but luckily these had screens set along each pool for individual privacy. Closing the screen behind me, I made quick work of cleaning off and hurried out to dry off and change. Clothed and exhausted, I returned to my 'room,' sleep claiming me before I could even think over what had transpired earlier today.

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A/N- Well, this was kind of just a filler chapter, just to deepen the characters and adjust to Mina's new life. Reviews are always welcome!

I would like to thank _BlueEyedBabyy, divergary, Starsinger, DawnRain, Apprentice Harper Kendra, UchihaMarina, twilightgatelover _for reviewing!


	5. Hatching

DragonStorm

A/N- I'm trying to get these out a little faster now, hopefully I'll fit these fanfics in a schedule soon? How does an update a month sound? Anyways, for what you came to see, please enjoy this chapter!

"Talking."

'Thinking to dragons.'

_Dragon speech._

Disclaimer- I do not own anything from the Dragonriders of Pern series, Anne McCaffrey does. I do, however, own my OC characters.

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Chapter 5- A Busy Day

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Morning came to High Reaches Weyr in a nervous excitement. Any day this sevenday, the eggs, now fully hardened and gleaming on the hot sands, would hatch and bring forth a new clutch of dragonets before due Thread. The Kitchen was currently among the busiest of places.

"Now, all these meat rolls and sweet buns must be baked properly! When the eggs hatch the Weyr will be holding not only its own people, but the family and guests from all around Pern!" Jasmine scolded as she took to rounds around the Kitchen, pushing the drudges and the assigned Candidates to concentrate on the important task. I took this as a challenge in a way, directing my knife easily but focused as I chopped up multiple items from roots and tubers to fresh fruits and meats, each being cleaned and sorted out to be sent to be spiced or mixed by another person. From another corner of the kitchen, the fresh, warm smell of sweetened bread hit me, my stomach growling in protest. Just a little longer until I could stop and settle down with a nice plate of something and some warm klah, I thought. It was now that I fully appreciated being assigned to the other chores or helping H'ral. At least then I would get to eat early.

The Dining portion of the Kitchen seemed to continuously fill and move around with people, some of which I noticed wore different Weyr colors. It was terribly noisy with chatter though, and made it difficult to overhear who was who within the nearby introductions. Every so often the watch-dragon outside would bugle, greeting the arrival of more quests and even last minute Candidates as I watched L'ron walk by with a boy no older than eleven.

_Lord Remus has arrived. _ I caught between the cacophony of dragonic voices, normally easily blocked out when I focused on something else, and a sheer flash of cold terror swept through me. Why was /he/ here? Surely not to take me back if I failed to Impress? Candidates were allowed to stand again and again until the cut off age after they had been Searched, even after that some took up lives in the Weyr. I quickly went back to busying myself in my work, my head down in case they came by this section of the Kitchen. I wouldn't go back! I liked it here and found myself needed here! I…!

"Shards! Canali come help Mina to the Harper-Healer's ward!" I heard Jasmine's voice next to me, a little higher than normal. Why…? I looked down as a sharp, stinging sensation filled my left hand and discovered a small puddle of crimson pooling onto the counter from my palm. Shells! I hissed as the knife was quickly pulled away and replaced by a cloth as an older girl began to usher me from the Kitchen and up to the Harper's main quarters.

"Oh dear, what has happened?" I heard Harper Kain say as we reached the entrance of the room and he noticed us.

"She's a Candidate, I think the exhaustion's gotten to her," the girl that held my left hand up and secure said. The Harper nodded and I was quickly switched to a sitting position as my arm was eased down and the cloth removed.

"It doesn't look bad…ah, thank you Canali, you are dismissed, I can take care of her," Kain said with a slight hum before nodding to the older girl, who left quickly afterwards.

"Now…lets clean this up…and I want you to tell me how it happened while I take care of it, okay?" Harper Kain said calmly as he studied my hand. I gave him a faint nod, not quite fond of seeing blood.

"I…I was tending to the fruits on Kitchen duty," I muttered before restraining a hiss as cold water was poured gently onto the side of my hand, letting it run freely along my palm and washing away the blood. For a moment, I could see a clean, deep slash across it before there was a squeezing pressure on my right hand, distracting me.

"Surely a chosen Candidate wouldn't have blanked out for no reason. What had captured your attention?" Kain asked as he wiped the area with a soft cloth before reaching to uncap a jar, a foul smell following it after the lid was off.

"I ah…heard someone mention that my Uncle had arrived," I told him as the salve was applied to my hand. The Harper nodded and moved to get a long strip of cloth.

"So…unexpected company and the pressure of an upcoming Hatching. That would be enough distraction for me to lose my focus. Let's try to keep you out of the Kitchen for a few days, okay? Otherwise, your hand will heal up in a sevenday or so," the Harper said as he finished wrapping the bandage around my hand, which had already gone a bit cold and numb. I nodded, still in a bit of a shock from the sudden pain and the increasing noise of dragons. Wait…

"It's close!" I leapt up right as Merath made an announcement and a low humming filled the Weyr. Hearing the sound as well, the Harper nodded, his eyes bright with the excitement that captivated most of the Hatching's attendees.

"Well girl, keep your hand sturdy and don't move it too much for now but we best get going," he said, and we each left the room. Walking slowly towards the Candidate's Room at first, I soon found myself in a short jog as the humming increased slightly. More and more dragons began to come and go from _between_ with quests, each arrival sparking a greeting from the watch-dragon. Reaching the Candidate's room, I noticed that a few people had arrived before me and a divider had been set up. With the Candidate Master's lessons in my mind, I hurried to the girls' side to quickly change into the traditional white Candidate robes, removing my sandals as well as letting my hair fall from the bun I had left it in this morning. Twenty minutes passed as the rest of the Candidate's filled the room and changed before lining up in rows of girls and guys before the archway to the Hatching Sands. Excitement and nervousness filled the atmosphere of the room as large sweeps of dragonwings echoed among the bowl outside, dropping off their guests and taking perch along the edges. The humming intensified and D'mark stood up.

"Augh! Why are they so noisy?" I heard Tierra say as she rushed to the front. D'mark scowled slightly.

"All dragons hum to bring forth and welcome the hatchlings. Alright, remember your teachings and stay aware. I wish all of you the best of luck." D'mark said as he motioned for us to walk out. Though I thought that it was overwhelming inside the Candidate's room, it was even more on the sands. The heat which I thought I had gotten used to still burned the soles of my feet, and the humming from the hundreds of dragons that perched above the sands seemed to guide my body as I moved to circle the gold egg along with the other girls. I barely had time to take in who was where as more and more of the eggs began to rock around us. I barely noticed that old queen Merath's eyes were whirling dully. Or the excited crowd of people along the stands that sat in their seats, anxiously waiting to see which egg would be the first to hatch. My attention was actually everywhere. As the humming reached a new level when a molted, egg with blue and brown swirls shook violently before a crack appeared on its side, simultaneously a rusty brown colored also with blue and green one fell to its side, a crack forming along its center.

With a sudden crack, both eggs burst open after some force, applause and hums filling the grounds as a bronze and brown dragonet reeled and looked around. This seemed to provoke the other eggs, as a few greens and another brown began to shake more as their siblings began to wander around. One of the boy Candidates stepped forward hesitantly as the bronze neared him, only for the dragonet to shriek and rear onto its back legs, the boy quickly scurrying out of the way as another approached and calmly stroked the bronze's muzzle. The first Impression had been made. All around me the eggs were shaking and rocking, desperately trying to get out and find their companion. Another bronze had hatched and was rushing about violently, knocking into the first brown, which made a pained and startled cry. A bright, emerald green burst from her shell, its body glistening as it examined the Candidate's around her as another, darker green practically fell out of her shell. The fallen brown's pitiful cries seemed to draw one boy towards him, until the boy went to his knees and cradled the browns head gently. Shrieks from the boys echoed across the sands as the rampaging bronze continued to charge through, searching for his partner. Suddenly, there was a surprised gasp from my right side as one of the greens, the lighter one, had made her way to the girls and gently nuzzled Crys.

Quickly afterwards three blues, two browns, and another bronze joined the ones that had hatched, even some that I missed as I soon discovered the gold egg was the only remaining one. A startled squawk from the other side of the egg informed me that another green had made her way to the girls and Impressed. Cries soon became a constant on the ground. Cries of joy, surprise, sometimes pain as people Impressed, or got in the way of, along with each dragonet calling mentally for its companion. Young whines of _where are you? , Hungry_… , or _No, you are not mine…_ filled my head. A hollow scratching sound faintly reached my ears as the gold egg started to rock, the humming around us increasing in pitch, encouraging their new, little queen onwards. In resonance, the egg lurched violently forward, a jagged, white crack splitting the egg into two halves, marring its beauty. In another, powerful rock, the shell fell away revealing a tiny, glistening gold. The tiny queen looked around before spreading out its wings, her eyes whirling between red and yellows as she hissed out a challenge towards us. The few of us that remained I noticed. What once used to be eleven girls decreased to seven, some of us holding our ground calmly, others taking a step back in nervousness. Calling out again, the young gold took a few steps forward now, her neck outstretched as she examined the girls on the other side, however quickly turning away. An impatient growl caught my attention as a girl two Candidate's away stepped forward. Oh no…

"Oh, you're so beautiful hunny! What a gorgeous queen!" I heard Tierra call out sweetly, a sick sensation building in my stomach as the dragonet glanced at her, her wings fanning out larger.

_ Not mine._ The young queen hissed out again, taking a step back as Tierra stepped forward.

"Such a beautiful little queen!" Tierra cooed and outstretched her hand, the queen's eyes flashing red before rearing up and lashing out with her unsheathed claws, trying to get away from the advancer and barely missing the girl from Nabol. The remaining girls around us screamed in fear and backed away as I dashed forward and pulled Tierra away from a possible fatal lunge in the dragonets attempt to get away from the girl.

"What do you think you are doing?" Tierra growled, slapping my hand aside. My anger flared. That ungrateful…!

"Saving your spoiled hide! My question is, what are you doing? Forcing yourself on a queen! Not only have you just risked your life, but a queen's as well if she becomes terrified and decides to go _between_! Just because this one hasn't picked you doesn't mean another one won't in the future! You should know better than to get in the way of a hungry queen!" I glared at her barely making out a soft _"Mine" _from the queen. I didn't even bother to turn around to see who she had picked, still angry at Tierra's dimglowed actions and walking away. There was a rustle of sand behind me and I clenched my hands at my sides, not wanting to fight anymore.

_No, there is no need to fight. You are mine and I have found you._ A soft voice echoing my thoughts. I blinked before turning around.

"What?" I whispered out, almost numbly as I was greeted by a swirling rainbow of faucet, jewel like eyes, the young queen nudging her head against my chest.

_I am Reineth, please do not be sad my Mina. _The dragonet crooned and I quickly wrapped my arms around her neck.

"No, I am not sad, how can I be? My precious Reineth."

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A/N- Well, I went ahead and placed the Hatching Chapter before doing a Gather. It will fit in and work well later anyways. As always, reviews are accepted!

I would like to thank _UchihaMarina_, _BlueEyedBabyy, _and _divergary. _It makes me happy to know that you all enjoy the characters and how it's developing so far. Thank you for reviewing!


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